Carbureter for hydrocarbon-engines.



No. 796,712. PATENTED AUG. 8, 1905. D. FERGUSSON & C. L. SHEPPY.OARBURETBR FOR HYDROGARBON ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2. 1904.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID FERGUSSON AND CHARLES L. SHEPPY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK ASSIGNORS TOTHE GEORGE N. PIERCE COMPANY, OF BUFFALO, NEVl YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1905.

Application filed May 2, 1904. Serial No. 205,937.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, DAVID FERGUSSON, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, and CHARLES L. SHEPPY, a citizen of the United States, bothresidents of Buflalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Carbureters forHydrocarbon-Engines, of which the following is a Specification.

This invention relates to carburetors for explosive-gas engines ormotors in which the gasolene or other suitable liquid hydrocarbonis'drawn or sucked from a spray-nozzle and mixed with the air or gas byan induced current of air or gas past the spray-nozzle caused by thesuction-strokes of the motor with which the carbureter is connected. henthe speed of the motor connected to a carbureter of this type increases,unless the suction-passage is cut off by the automatic governor or valveit.

will produce a greater vacuum or suction in the carbureter and will drawa surplus of the liquid hydrocarbon from the spray-nozzle, thusproducing too rich an explosive mixture unless the air-supply isincreased proportionately with the speed of the motor. The volume of theexplosive mixture should be increased as the speed of the motorincreases; but the mixture should be of a substantially constant qualityor richness.

The object of this invention is to provide a carbureter of simple,eflicient, and desirable construction in which a supplemental air-supplyvalve is automatically controlled by the velocity of the air to theengine to vary the supply of air and the volume of the explosive mixtureas the speed of the engine varies and maintain at all times apractically constant explosive mixture.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of acarbureter embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section,partly in plan thereof, in line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a fragmentarysectional elevation thereof, showing a different position of thecontrolling-valve for the supplemental air-supply. Fig. 4 is a sectionalelevation of a slightly-modified construction.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents a sup ply-reservoir for the gasolene or other liquidhydrocarbon, which is maintained ataconstant level in the reservoir by avalve B, which controls the supply-pipe C of the reservoir and isoperated by a float D in the reservoir. The reservoir is supplied froman elevated tank (not shown) or other source of supply under pressure.Any known or suitable form of valve, float, and connections may beemployed. In the construction shown a ball-valve?) is seated upwardly inthe contracted throat of the supply-passage by a spring 6, held beneaththe valve in a hollow screw-plug b screwed into a threaded portion ofthe supply-pipe. By adjusting the plug the tension of the spring can beregulated to properly seat the valve. The float D is provided with adepending stem d, which strikes and unseats the valve to admit gasoleneto the reservoir whenever the level of the same in the reservoir fallsbelow a predetermined height. When the gasolene regains the desiredlevel, the float is lifted and the valve reseated by its spring. Thesupply-pipe shown is provided with a strainer e for the gasolene,surrounding a hollow perforated cap 6, which is screwed into an enlargedchamber 6 of the supply-pipe. The gasolene passes through the strainerand perforations of the screw-cap into and through the latter.

F represents a carbureter-casing which is preferably of hollowcylindrical form and is provided at or near its lower end with anair-supply passage f, connecting, preferably, With an air-supply pipe,through which air heated by the engine-exhaust or other means may besupplied to the carbureter. At or near its upper end the casing isconnected by a discharge-passage f with the inlet port or passage of anexplosive-gas engine or motor. The carbureter is more particularlydesigned for use with a multiple cylinder engine, and thedischarge-passage is connected with the inlet ports or passages for theseveral cylinders.

Gr represents spray-nozzle, which extends up centrally into the lowerportion of the carbureter-casing and is connected by a passage g withthe reservoir A. The height of the spray-nozzle is such that thegasolene or other liquid hydrocarbon will stand therein nearly to itstop when the motor is not running, but will not overflow.

H is a hand-operated needle-valve which is screwed into the spray-nozzleand controls its discharge-orifice. By adjusting the valve the dischargeof gasolene or other hydrocarbon can be regulated asrequired. After thisvalve is properly set it is not disturbed.

Within the carburetor casing and surrounding the spray-nozzle is anannular partition or shell I, which forms an annular airpassage 2'around the spray-nozzle. In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 3 thepartition has a conical lower portion 7;, provided with main air-supplyopenings 11:, connecting the annular air-passage 'i with the air-supplypassage f, a contracted waist or central portion 70 which surrounds theupper end of the spray-nozzle, and an enlarged cylindrical upper portion70 provided with supplemental air-supply openings in, which connect theupper portion of the annular air-passage and the air-supply passage. Theupper end of the partition or shell is provided with a flange 70 whichjoins the wall of the carburetercasing and prevents the passage of airfrom the supply-passage to the discharge-passage except through theannular passage 2' and the supplemental air-supply openings Z6 when thelatter are opened, as will be explained. The partition thus divides thecarburetereasing into a lower or inlet chamber and an upper or mixingchamber 70.

L represents an automatic valve which controls the admission of airthrough the supplemental air-supply openings. In the construction shownin Figs. 1 to 3 this valve is of hollow cylindrical form and slidesvertically in the upper cylindrical portion of the partition or shell.The lower portion of the body of the valve is imperforate, so that whenin its lower or normal position (shown in Fig. 1) it will completelycover and close the supplemental air-openings 71;. The upper portion ofthe cylindrical body and the top of the Valve are provided with numerousperforations Z.

The supplemental air-valve is preferably provided with a stem m, which"passes up through the mixing-chamber and has a piston m attached to itsupper end and working in a daslrpotm A spring N is arranged above thepiston between the same and an adjusting-screw 12., working in a hole inthe top of the dash-pot, by which the spring can be adjusted to give anydesired pressure to resist the lifting of the valve. The dash-potprevents a sudden jerky movement of the supplemental air-valve, for theair in the dash-pot has to escape from one side to the other of thepiston or is compressed on one side and rarefied on the other sidethereof, resulting in a gradual easy movement of the piston and valve towhich it is connected.

The operation of the carbureter is as follows: When the motor is makingits suctionstroke, air is drawn through the supply-passagef, mainair-supply openings 7c, and up through the contracted annularair-passage 2' past the spray-nozzle at a great velocity, so

as to draw the gasolene or other liquid hydrocarbon from thespray-nozzle and atomize or vaporize the same. The gasolene and airpassing through the perforations of the airvalve L on their way to thedischarge-passage and motor are intimately mixed and the air isthoroughly carbureted. When the motor is starting and running slowly,the supplemental air-valve is seated and the air can only pass throughthe main air-supply openings is in the lower end of the partition orshell; but when the motor is running at high speeds the suction isincreased to an extent suflicient to lift the supplemental air -valve L,and additional air from the'supply-passage f is drawn in through thesupplemental air-supply openings k". As the speed of the motor increasesthe supplemental air-valve is lifted still higher to further uncover thesupplemental air-openings, as shown in Fig. 3, and admit more air, thuspreventing a surplus of gaso+ lene being drawn from the spray nozzle andgiving too rich a mixture. The supplemental air-supply openings arepreferably V-shaped or tapered, as shown, to enable a more perfectregulation of the mixture and prevent a too profuse supply of pure airwhen the valve is first lifted, while at the same time affording asufficient supply of air at the maximum speed of the motor. The air istaken through both the. main and supplemental air-openingsfrom theair-supply passage, and as the air in the latter is ordinarily heatedthe gasolene is readily vaporized or gasified. rises and falls with thefluctuations in speed of the motor, and by properly proportioning thesupply-passage the carbureter is entirely automatic, giving a correctmixture whatever the speed or power of the motor.

While the carbureter above described is deemed preferable, itsconstruction can be varied more or less and produce an eflicientdesirable device. For instance, as shown in Fig. 4, the annularair-passage around the spray-nozzle is formed by a cylindrical partitionor tube 0, supported by and projectingthrough a horizontal portion 0 inthe carbureter-casing, provided with supplemental The tubular partiair-supply openings 19. tion terminates above the bottom of thecarbureter-casing to leave a space through which the main air-supply istaken, and the upper portion of the tubular partition above thehorizontal partition is provided with tapering supplemental air-openingsp. The supplemental air-valve Q is cup-shaped and surrounds the upperend of the tubular partition, having at its lower end a flange g, whichcontrols the supplemental air-openings p p. The valve is perforated andis connected to a piston 9", working in a dash-pot r. Its action issimilar to that of the supplemental airvalve already described. When itis lifted by the increased suction due to accelerated speed of themotor, the supplemental air-sup The valve ply passes through thesupplemental air-openings p p to the discharge-passage.

We claim as our invention 1. In a carbureter, the combination of acasing having an air-supply passage and a discharge-passage, a nozzleprojecting into the casing and connected with a supply of liquid fuel, astationary partition Which surrounds said nozzle, divides said easinginto an inlet and-a mixing chamber and forms a contracted air-passagearound said nozzle, which passage is open at all times to the flow ofair therethrough from the air-supply passage to the discharge-passage,said partition having above said nozzle one or more supplementalair-supply openings for the passage of air from said inlet-chamber tosaid mixing-chamher, and a valve normally above said nozzle which in itsseveral positions permits the flow of air through said contractedair-passage and controls said supplemental air-openings and isautomatically operated by the suction of the motor with which thecarbureter is connected, substantially as set forth.

2. In a carbureter, the combination of a casing having an air-supplypassage and a discharge-passage, a nozzle projecting into the casing andconnected with a supply of liquid fuel, a stationary partition whichsurrounds said nozzle and forms a contracted air-passage around thenozzle which passage is open at all times to the flow of air from saidairsupply passage to said discharge-passage, said partition. beingconstructed and arranged to provide a supplemental air-supply openingcommunicating with the air-supply passage, and a valve which is locatednormally between said nozzle and said discharge-passage and in itsseveral positions permits the flow of air through said contractedair-passage and controls said supplemental air-supply opening and isautomatically operated by the suction of the motor with which thecarbureter is connected, substantially as set forth.

3. In a carbureter, the combination of a casing having an air-supplypassage and a discharge-passage, a nozzle projecting into the casing andconnected with a supply of liquid fuel, a stationary partition whichsurrounds said nozzle and forms a contracted air-passage around thenozzle which passage is open at all times to the flow of air from saidairsupply passage to said discharge-passage, said partition beingconstructed and arranged to provide a supplemental air-supply openingcommunicating with the air-supply passage, and a perforated valve whichcrosses said casing between said nozzle and said dischargepassage and inits several positions permits the flow of air through said contractedairpassage and controls said supplemental airsupply opening and isautomatically operated by the suction of the motor with which thecarbureter is connected, substantially as set forth.

4:. In a carbureter, the combination of a casing having an air-supplypassage and a discharge-passage, an upright nozzle projecting into thecasing and connected with a supply of liquid fuel, a stationary circularopen-ended partition surrounding said nozzle and forming a contractedair-passage around the nozzle, which passage communicates at all timesat its opposite ends with said air-supply and discharge passages, saidpartition having supplemental air-inlet openings, and a perforatedsupplemental air-supply valve and air and gas mixer crossing saidcontracted air-passage above said nozzle and which normally closes saidsupplemental air-openings and the movements of which are controlled bythe suction of the motor with which the carbureter is connected,substantially as set forth.

5. In a carbureter, the combination of a casing having an air-supply anda discharge passage, a nozzle projecting into the casing and connectedwith a supply of liquid fuel, a stationary partition surrounding saidnozzle and forming a contracted air-passage around the same, whichpassage communicates at all times at its opposite ends with saidair-supply and discharge passages, said partition having supplementalair openings, an automatic valve between said nozzle and discharge-passage which in its normal position permits the flow of air through saidcontracted air-passage and closes said supplemental air-openings and themovements of which are controlled by the suction of the motor with whichthe carbureter is connected, and a device forregulating the movements ofsaid automatic Valve, substantially as set forth.

Witness our hands this 26th day of April, 1904.

DAVID FERGUSSON. CHARLES L. SHEPPY.

Witnesses:

C. M. BENTLEY, EDWARD (J. HARD.

